Sr. Project Manager or Director, High Voltage

ABOUT AVANTUS

Avantus develops, owns, and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. Our development pipeline represents one of the nation's largest portfolios of solar with integrated storage, capable of providing dispatchable power to 17 million Americans, day and night. With over a decade of industry leadership and strategic investment from KKR and EIG, Avantus delivers affordable, reliable clean energy solutions that meet America’s growing energy demand.

ABOUT THE POSITION

We are seeking a highly motivated and organized candidate for a Sr. Project Manager or Director, High Voltage position. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound industry knowledge, superior communications and detail-oriented organizational skills. This role reports to the Sr. Director, Interconnection and HV Project Management. The successful candidate is responsible for managing the project interconnection and technical requirements during the project execution phase:  engineering, procurement and construction of the High Voltage (Substation & Gen-tie) facilities for Avantus’s pipeline of solar and energy storage. 

As part of the Transmission and Interconnection team, the position will also coordinate the high voltage design requirements with multiple cross-functional teams within Avantus, including the EPC, Engineering, Development, EPC and Operations. The position will be responsible for developing and maintain Avantus’s contractual high voltage engineering standards and processes, directly interfacing with Avantus’s EPC and high voltage supply partners to review and approve subcontractor’s high voltage project deliverables from early-stage design through commissioning.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead all interconnection execution activities for late-stage projects from NTP through COD.
• Manage compliance with IA and LGIA requirements, technical appendices, and all utility and ISO milestones.
• Coordinate directly with utilities, transmission owners, and ISOs (CAISO, ERCOT, SPP, MISO, PJM).
• Lead and manage ISO implementation activities from NTP through COD, ensuring alignment with study assumptions and readiness.
• Track key interconnection milestones and proactively mitigate technical, grid-related, schedule, and commercial risks.
• Lead execution of high-voltage substations and gen-tie facilities in accordance with interconnection and utility standards.
• Ensure power system studies, SCADA, metering, telemetry, and telecom systems meet ISO and utility specifications.
• Provide technical leadership during commissioning, grid testing, energization planning, switching procedures, and issue resolution.
• Manage interconnection-related cost and schedule impacts, contractor deliverables, change orders, and utility-driven modifications.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Skills:
•    Knowledge of NEC, NESC, IEEE and ANSI standards applicable to power systems design and protection
•    Knowledge of power system protection principles and functionality
•    Extensive knowledge of certain interconnection standards and handbooks
•    Expert knowledge of generating facility’s high voltage, medium voltage and substation design and equipment
•    Proven problem solving and negotiation skills
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills
•    Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in applying established power systems design techniques, procedures or standards

Qualifications: 
•    B.S degree in electrical or power systems engineering.
•    7+ years of experience in utility-scale renewable energy, power generation, transmission, or grid interconnection.
•    Experience with CAISO and WECC utilities’ new renewable implementation process 
•    Experience with managing the transmission interconnection process for power plants (solar, storage) and large load interconnections
•    Experience in renewables or construction industry 
•    Experience with power system studies such as short circuit, arc flash and reactive power studies is preferred 
•    Strong high-voltage background, including substations, gen-tie facilities, protection systems, and grid integration.
•    Proven experience managing IA/LGIA compliance through commissioning and COD.
•    Direct experience working with WECC utilities (NVE, APS, etc.) and CAISO
•    Strong understanding of power system studies and grid performance requirements.
•    Experience in EPC execution environments.
•    Ability to manage complex technical deliverables and multi-party coordination independently.
•    Strong communication, organizational, and risk-management skills.
•    Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field preferred.
•    Familiarity with NERC standards (PRC, MOD, BAL) preferred.
•    Ability to lead teams and external partners without direct authority.
•    Ability to travel to project sites during critical construction and commissioning phases.
•    A Professional Engineering License is preferred

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